Yousefi grew up in Abadan, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, a major centre of Iran’s oil industry and a region profoundly shaped by the Iran-Iraq War and its aftermath. This history informs his wider engagement with photography in relation to conflict, political memory, and the representation of history. His work frequently begins with existing images and documents, which he rephotographs, reconstructs, annotates, sequences, or recontextualises to examine how their meanings and functions change over time. Across his practice, Yousefi is concerned with the authority conventionally assigned to photographs and with moments when that authority becomes unstable. His work considers the photograph as a site of exchange between those who make images, those who appear within them, and those who encounter them later. Questions of gaze, evidence, visibility, surveillance, and historical distance recur throughout his projects, alongside an interest in how photographs move between personal, political, archival, and institutional contexts. Rather than approaching the archive as a fixed account of the past, he examines the processes through which photographs are selected, framed, reproduced, circulated, and made to signify.
These concerns are central to projects including Eyes Dazzle as They Search for the Truth, which revisits photographs of the 1979 Iranian Revolution to examine the reciprocating gaze between photographer and subject, and Defensive Readiness: Revised Edition, which draws on a state-issued Iranian civil defence textbook to consider how institutional images organise and represent the body. Across both projects, Yousefi examines how photographs continue to act beyond the moment of their production, acquiring new meanings through viewing, interpretation, circulation, and reuse.
In 2026, Yousefi received the C/O Berlin Talent Award in the Artist category for Defensive Readiness: Revised Edition. In 2024, he received the Royal Photographic Society Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography and was selected as a Foam Talent. His work has been presented internationally at institutions and platforms including Museum Kunstpalast, Fotografisk Centre, Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, Foam Museum, Belfast Photo Festival, and Peckham 24. His debut photobook, Eyes Dazzle as They Search for the Truth, featuring an essay by David Campany, was published by Luhz Press in 2026.
Alongside his artistic practice, Yousefi works across curating and writing. He is Assistant Curator at Photoworks and Editor of Photography+. Yousefi holds a Master’s degree in Photography from the University of Westminster. He has delivered lectures and talks at institutions including Université du Québec, the Royal College of Art, the London College of Communication, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Portsmouth.
To commission a project or purchase a print, please get in touch with me via email: aminyousephi@gmail.com
EDUCATION
2022 MA in Photography, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
2019 BA in Photography, Art University of Isfahan, Iran
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2027 Defensive Readiness: Revised Edition, C/O Berlin, Germany
2026 Defensive Readiness: Revised Edition, Fonderia 20.9, Verona, Italy
2025 Eyes Dazzle as They Search for the Truth, Vilnius Photography Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania
2023 Eyes Dazzle as They Search for the Truth, Fotografisk Centre, Denmark
2019 Life, Death, And Other Similar Things, Ag Galerie, Tehran, Iran
2018 Untitled Photographs, Negaresh Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 Fever Dream, Palo Gallery, New York
2026 A Present Tense, Ab-Anbar Gallery, London
2026 Halle 14, Leipzig, Germany
2026 Backlight, Tampere, Finland
2026 Gabble, Filet, London, UK
2026 Community, Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, Germany
2025 Documents, Fotografisk Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
2025 Sign Up, The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, UK
2025 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, Frankfurt, Germany
2024 Belfast Photo Festival, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2024 Hellerau Photography Award, Dresden, Germany
2024 Athens Photo Festival, Athens, Greece
2024 Back To The Future, Peckham 24, London
2024 Kranj Photo Festival, Kranj, Slovenia
2024 Restart, Prospektas Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania
2024 Performing Histories / Histories Re-Imagined, Impression Gallery, Bradford, UK
2024 Circulation(s), Centquatre-Paris, Paris, France
2024 Les Boutographies, Pavillon Populaire, Montpellier, France
2024 Foam Talent, Foam Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2023 Past & Present, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
2022 Consider This, Ambika P3, London, United Kingdom
2022 Work in Progress, Gallery West, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
2022 Where We Meet: Connection, Deptford Does Art, London, United Kingdom
2021 Immediate and Remote, Aran Projects, Tehran, Iran
2021 HerMAP Art Project, Bozar Centre of Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium
2021 The Censored, Copenhagen Photo Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
2020 Ag Talent 2019, 0/1 Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
2019 Determinism Vol. 2, Taropod Gallery, Shiraz, Iran
2019 Determinism Vol. 1, Negaresh Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
2018 An Artistic Conscience in an Ill Body, Negaresh Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
2018 The Search, Naqsh Khaneh Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
2017 Four Seasons, Sayan Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
2016 Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
2016 Iranology Foundation Exhibition, Iranology Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 University of Meshkin Shahr, Meshkin Shahr, Iran
PHOTOBOOKS
2027 Defensive Readiness: Revised Edition, Text by Maxi Wallenhorst, Shift Books and C/O Berlin
2026 Eyes Dazzle As They Search for The Truth, Text by David Campany, Luhz Press
ART AND PHOTOBOOK FAIRS
2026 Printed Matter's LA Art Book Fair, with Luhz Press, Los Angeles, CA
2024 MIA Photo Fair, with Ag Galerie, Curated by Roï Sade, Milan, Italy
2023 Unseen Art Fair, with Ag Galerie, Amsterdam, Netherlands
AWARDS AND HONORS
2026 C/O Berlin Artist Award, Germany
2024 RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography, United Kingdom
2024 Foam Talent, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2024 Belfast Photo Festival, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2024 Hellerau Photography Award, Dresden, Germany
2024 Athens Photo Festival, Athens, Greece
2024 Kranj Photo Festival, Kranj, Slovenia
2023 PhotoFrome Awards, Frome, United Kingdom
2023 Guest Room: David Campany, Der Greif, Munich, Germany
2022 Carte Blanche Awards, Paris Photo, Paris, France
2021 Copenhagen Photo Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019 Ag Talent, Ag Galerie, Tehran, Iran
2018 Firoozeh Festival, Tabriz, Iran
2016 Photography Festival of Society and Religion, Istanbul, Turkey
2016 Iranology Foundation Festival, Tehran, Iran
2015 The Bucovina Photo Festival, Bucovina, Romania
2014 National Tourism Festival, Tehran, Iran
COLLECTIONS
Foam Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Private Collection
TALKS
2026 In conversation with Kate Schultze, Bildband, Berlin, Germany
2026 POST x Photoworks Photobook Club, Hove, UK
2026 Artist Talk, Post x Kraszna-Krausz Photobook Weekender, Hove, UK
2026 “Emily Graham and David Birkin in conversation with Amin Yousefi,” Peckham 24, London
2026 “Photography X Archives,” University of Portsmouth
2026 “The People’s Pictures”, in conversation with Laura Halvin and Carolina Semprucci, University of Westminster
2026 “Power and Vulnerability,” in conversation with Diane Smyth, Leipzig Photobook Festival, Germany
2026 “Visual Authority,” in conversation with Claudia Gehre, Leipzig Photobook Festival, Germany
2026 “Photography and Archive” University of Neyshabour, Neyshabour, Iran
2025 “Poison Date, Kill Algorithms,” Marcel Top in conversation with Amin Yousefi, POST Creative, Brighton
2025 “Reversed Surveillance,” Marcel Top in conversation with Amin Yousefi, Reference Point, London
2025 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, Frankfurt, Germany
2025 “Writing About Your Work” in Conversation with Diane Smyth, Photographers’ Gallery, London
2025 “Un-anticipated Collaboration“, University of Quebec in Montreal
2024 “Limits and Possibilities of Lens-Based Art”, in Conversation with Luka Savić, Kranj Foto Fest, Slovenia
2024 "David Campany in conversation with Odette England and Amin Yousefi," Peckham 24, London
2024 "On Photobooks," Dastras Photobook Platform, Choom Gallery, Anzali, Iran
2024 "Citizens and Photography, In conversation with David Campany," Photographer's Gallery, London
2023 "The Photo and The Book; A Symbiotic Relationship," University of Neyshabur
2019 “Homayoun Sirizi in Conversation with Amin Yousefi and Ali Afshari”, Ag Galerie, Tehran, Iran
2018 "Beyond a Flow; Dusseldorf School of Photography," Art University of Isfahan
2017 "Contemporary Iranian Photography," Isfahan Photo Club
2017 "History of Iranian Photography," Art University of Isfahan
2016 "Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency," Art University of Isfahan
RESIDENCIES
2025 Fonderia 20.9, Verona, Italy
TEACHING/MENTORING
2026 Guest Lecturer, University of South Dakota
2026 Guest Lecturer, Royal College of Art
2026 Portfolio Reviewer, Royal College of Art
2026 Portfolio Reviewer, London College of Communication
2026 Portfolio Reviewer, University of the West of England, Bristol
2026 Portfolio Reviewer, Belfast Photo Festival
2025 Portfolio Reviewer, Photoworks Portfolio Surgeries
2025 Portfolio Reviewer, Belfast Photo Festival
2025 Portfolio Reviewer, Manchester Metropolitan University
2025 Guest Lecturer, Paper Drop Lab, Athens, Greece
2025 Visiting Lecturer, CALAT, London, United Kingdom
2024 Guest Lecturer, University of Tehran, Iran
2024 Guest Lecturer, Photofusion, London, United Kingdom
2022 Guest Lecturer, University of Neyshabur
2021 Guest Lecturer, University of Semnan
JURY
2026 Photoworks Emerging Talent, United Kingdom
2025 Photoworks Emerging Talent, United Kingdom
2025 PhotoFrome Student Awards, United Kingdom
WRITINGS
2026 “Un/Stable Pages,” Photography+ issue 32, Photoworks
2026 “The People by the Hudson,” C4 Journal
2026 “Biased Algorithms, Resilient Images,” Chesmak Magazine
2025 “The People’s Pictures”, Photography+ issue 29, Photoworks
2025 “No Country for Old Men”, Photoworks Annual
2025 “Ghost by Andy Mattern,” Photography+
2025 “Sakir Khader,” Foam Magazine
2025 “Fayez’s Aporia” Exhibition Text, Ab-Anbar Gallery
2024 “The Chroma of Chaos – Batniji’s Digital Dialect“, Photomonitor
2023 "What It Means to Make Photographs as a Young Artist in Iran," Aperture Magazine
2023 "It Won't Matter to Us Since You Won't Use Our Film," Der Greif Magazine
2022 “I know this Hair, as White as Snow, is not that of an Aged Man” Essay
2022 “Image of Imagination: Photographing Through History“ Essay
2016 "Intimate Life: Photography as Contemporary Art," Sarv Journal, Art University of Isfahan
COMMISSIONS
2022 "In Iran, Death Has a Face," Halaeh Anvari, Aperture
2022 "Eyes Dazzle as They Search for The Truth", Hapax Magazine, Issue 3
2021 “Ruderal Acts”, HerMAP Art Project, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium
PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
2026 Collater
2026 September Magazine
2026 PHROOM
2026 British Journal of Photography
2026 Blind Magazine
2026 Gabble Magazine
2026 NON
2026 Der Greif
2026 Ddorf-aktuell
2026 NOWNESS
2025 Fonderia 20.9
2025 Royal Photographic Society Journal
2024 1000Words
2024 Photomonitor
2024 Revue21
2024 TV5 Monde
2024 ZoomUp
2024 MUSÉE
2024 Circulations
2024 Foam Magazine
2024 Foam Museum
2024 Black Camera Italy
2024 PHROOM
2023 Der Greif
2023 The Eyes of Photography
2023 Frome Nub News
2022 Haleh Anvari
2022 University of Westminster
2022 University of Westminster
2022 Hapax Magazine, Issue 3
2022 Aperture Magazine
2022 Source Magazine
2021 PHMuseum
2020 Paper Journal